Car-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

THOMAS V. TUCKER, OF HENDERSON, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,246, dated .Tune 6, 1882.

Application tiled March 17, 1882.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs V. TUCKER, of Henderson, in the county of Mills and State ot' Iowa, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists in a novel construction and'ccmbination, with a draw-head, of a vertical sleeve in which the coupling pin works, a sliding spring-latch for holding up the pin, a lever and connections for raising the pin from either the top or the side ot' the car, and a link provided with lateral projections for engagement with the sliding spring-catch to release the pin, and certain details hereinafter more particularly described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in

which similar letters of reference indicate cor` respondingparts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of my invention as applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modification. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detail views.

The draw-head A is made with its mouth Haring in the usual manner. The top and bottom B B2 project laterally at the front, and through the projecting portions pass ypins b, which may be used in connection with side coupling-links when desired. From the top B rises a vertical sleeve, D, in which the couplingpin O works, surrounded by a spiral spring, c. (Shown in dotted lines.) In the sleeve D is a longitudinal slot, d, through which projects an arm, e, extending laterally from the pin. To this arm is attached one end .of a chain, f, the other end of which is attached to a lug or eye on a bar, G,`arranged to slidel vertically against the end wall of the ear. The bar G is held in place by a keeper, H, behind which is a pressure-spring, J. rlhe upper end of the bar G extends to the top of the car, and is provided with a handle, g. Near the bottom of the car the bar G is bent at a right angle, so as to form a horizontal arm, G2, which extends -to the side of the car, and is provided with a handle, g2, and it is heldin place by a keeper, K. Near the lower portion or angle of the bar G is an inclined plane, terminating ab' ruptly in a shoulder, t'.

(No model.)

.upper hole in the mouth ot' the draw-head,

through which the coupling-pin passes. From the rear edge of the vertical portion of the plate extends a shank or stem, M, surrounded by a spiral spring, m. The plate thus formed is attached to the draw-head, so that the vertical portion works outside ofthe draw-head and the horizontal portion works in-a recessiu the top ofthe mouth. The rear end of the shank M works in a staple or keeper, n, and a pin or bolt, p, passes through a slot, s, inthe plate and into the side ofthe draw-head, and the sliding latch thus formed is held in place and allowed to slide back and forth, the spring m having a tendency to keep it pushed toward the frontof the draw-head.- The front edge. 'of the vertical side of the latch is braced and strengthened by a bar, l2.

The link R is used in connection with this coupling, and is provided with two arms, r lr, projecting laterallyY from its sides in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation is as follows: The bar G is raised until the shouldert' engages with the keeper H, where it is held by the pressure of thespring J. The length of the chainj' is such that when the bar G reaches the height referred. to the pin G is high enoughto allow the lip lof the latch L to spring under a shoulder on the pin and hold it in the position shownV in Fig. l. The bar G may then be lowered to its original position by disengaging'the shouldert from the keeper H without interfering withv the position ofthe pin. When a car approaches to be coupled the draw-head of the approaching car strikes the bar Z2 and forces l back the latch L, so as to release the pin C and allow its spring c to force it down and hold it in engagement with the link R.

It will be seen that the bar G may be operated either from the top ot' the car by means of the handle g or from the side of the car by means of the handle g2. 4

4It' desired, the arm G2 may have a lever sub- IOO stitutedfor it and pivoted to the lower end of the bar.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modification which may be used on a platform-car, if desired. The bar G and chainfare dispensed with and the pin C is held up by means ot' a lug or stud, c3, on the piu engaging with a notch or shoulder, d2, in the slot d of the sleeve D, the upper end of the pin being provided with a handle, c2, for operating it. The link V (shown in Figs. 5 and 6) is used in connection with both draw-heads. It is provided with projections r on its under side for the purpose of holding it level in the mouth of the draw-head when used in the position shown in Fig. 5. By reversing it, as shown in Fig. 6, it is allowed to hang down so as to couple with a lower car.

The advantages of this invention are: The pin is held securely when raised by the lip l of the latch L, and when the pin is down it is held firmly and prevented from bouncing up kby means ofthe spring c surrounding it. By

leaving the bar G in its raised position the pin is held up and prevented from falling in case of the latch L being struck by accident, and by lowering the bar G, the pin is free to fall when the latch is forced back.

Any ordinary link may be used with this draw-head, and the coupling accomplished by allowing the draw-head of the approaching car to strike the latch L and force it back. The link R is employed at the front of an engine, in which case the arm 1 will strike the latch L. When the link Vis used the approaching drawhead strikes the latch.

If desired, the bolts b (shown in Figs. l and 2) may be used in connection with links ofthe ordinary description.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head A and the sleeve D, provided with the longitudinal slot d, of the couplingpin provided with the laterally-projecting arm c and the spring c, surrounding the said pin, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the coupling-pin C, provided with the arm e and chain f, ot the arm G, provided with the shoulder i and horizontal arm G2, thekeeper H, and the pressurespring J, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. The latch L, provided with the horizontal lip l, shank M, and spring m, in combination with the draw-head A and coupling-pin C, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The link R, provided with lateral arms r r, in combination with the draw-head A and latch L, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

5. The combination ot' a sleeve, D, provided with aslot,d, and lateral shoulder cl2, and a pin, C, provided with a lug or stud, c, as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

THOMAS V. TUCKER.

lVitnesses:

J. P. BoGUE, F. P. STARRETT. 

